Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC We bring you last week's top former Bruins players who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Jordin Canada, a 5'6'' point guard who graduated from UCLA in 2018 and received the All-Pac Co-Defensive Player of the Year award, currently plays professionally in the WNBA. In a recent game, she led the Atlanta Dream to a thrilling 82-80 victory over the Phoenix Mercury with a stellar performance. Canada not only scored 11 points but also facilitated 14 assists, showcasing her skills on both ends of the court. Additionally, she contributed 7 rebounds and 3 steals in 31 minutes of play, demonstrating her versatility and impact as a player. Despite the Atlanta Dream's somewhat modest 4-1 record this season, it is still early in the season, leaving room for improvement and unexpected outcomes. Canada's impressive statistics this season, averaging 12.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists (ranking third in the league), and 2.8 steals per game (leading the league), underscore her importance to the team's success. Canada's exceptional performance against the Phoenix Mercury solidified her reputation as a champion on the court, showcasing her leadership and skill set, which will undoubtedly be crucial as the season progresses.
#2. Kennedy Burke, a 6'1'' guard and 29-year-old Bruins alumna from 2019, currently excels as a professional player in the WNBA. In a recent game, she played a crucial role in leading the Connecticut Sun to a narrow 80-78 victory over the Seattle Storm. Despite the Sun's challenging 1-7 record this season, Burke's performance shone brightly as she scored 15 points, secured 6 rebounds, and provided 1 assist in just 23 minutes of play. Her noteworthy contributions were essential in the team's triumph, ultimately propelling them to emerge as the champion. Throughout the season, Burke has maintained solid averages of 7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Her consistent and commendable play has undoubtedly made her a standout finalist in the league.
#3. New Zealand's basketball star Charlisse Leger-Walker, standing tall at 5'10'' and a former UCLA graduate from the class of 2026 where she helped them secure the NCAA Champion title that year, has now transitioned into playing professionally in the WNBA. In a recent game, she teamed up with her colleague Kennedy Burke, and together they showcased their skills in the Women's National Basketball Association final. Leger-Walker's remarkable performance led the Connecticut Sun to a narrow 80-78 victory over the Seattle Storm, with her being named the MVP of the game. During the game, Leger-Walker displayed her prowess on the court by contributing 16 points and 3 assists in just 28 minutes of play. This outstanding performance is even more impressive considering she is in her debut season in professional basketball. Her impact was crucial in the team's success, proving why she is truly a champion in the sport. Throughout the season, Leger-Walker has been maintaining solid averages of 7.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, showcasing her consistency and value to her team.
#4. Mexican basketball player Gabriela Jaquez, a 6'0'' guard and 22-year-old Bruins alumna from 2026, received the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Finalist award. She currently plays professionally in the WNBA. In a recent game, Jaquez, representing the Chicago Sky (3-3), faced the Dallas Wings on the road last Wednesday. Despite her solid performance, Jaquez could not help her team secure a victory, as they were defeated 99-89. During the game, Jaquez showcased her skills by scoring 12 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and providing 2 assists in 28 minutes of play. Despite her impressive individual effort, the Chicago Sky (#3) fell short against the Dallas Wings. Throughout the season, Jaquez has maintained good statistics, averaging 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
#5. Serbian Angela Dugalic, a 6'4'' forward and 24-year-old graduate of UCLA in 2026, who received the All-Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year award that same year, currently plays professionally in the WNBA. In a recent game, she was unable to assist the Washington Mystics (2-3) as they faced the Seattle Storm and suffered a 97-85 defeat. Despite her commendable performance, Dugalic's team, ranked #6, could not secure the win. Dugalic showcased her skills by scoring 13 points in just 12 minutes of play against the Storm, where she also contributed with 3 rebounds and 1 assist. Throughout this season, Dugalic maintains an average of 5.0 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game.
#6. Experienced champion Rebekah Gardner, a 6'1'' guard who is 35 years old and an alumna of the Bruins from 2012, currently plays professionally in the WNBA. Unfortunately, in the recent game last Thursday, Gardner was unable to help the New York Liberty (3-4) secure a victory. Despite her commendable performance, the New York Liberty (#4) suffered a significant 87-70 defeat in San Francisco against the Golden State Valkyries. Gardner showcased her skills by scoring 12 points and grabbing 2 rebounds in just 20 minutes of play against Golden State. Despite her impressive efforts, her team ultimately fell short of clinching the win. Throughout this season, Gardner has been averaging 8.6 points per game, along with 2.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
#7. Monique Billings, a 6'4'' forward who graduated from UCLA in 2018, is a standout player in the WNBA. She was instrumental in helping her team win the WNBA Eastern Conference Regular Season Champion title in 2018. Recently, she showcased her skills in a game against the Portland Fire, where she played a key role in her team's dominant 90-73 victory. Billings made significant contributions by scoring 9 points, securing 4 rebounds, and dishing out 1 assist in just 21 minutes of play. Notably, she displayed great accuracy by going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Her stellar performance on the court was crucial in her team's success, ultimately leading them to victory as the champion of the game. Throughout this season, Billings has maintained solid averages of 6.8 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, 1.4 assists per game, and 1.4 steals per game, showcasing her all-around skills as a finalist player.
#8. Gianna Kneepkens, a 6'0''-G 23-year-old, and Bruins alumna from 2026, was a finalist for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year award. She currently plays professionally in the WNBA and is a teammate of Kennedy Burke. In a recent game in the Women's National Basketball Association, Kneepkens was unable to help her team, the Connecticut Sun, secure a victory against the Golden State Valkyries. Despite her limited playing time of 11 minutes, she managed to score 6 points. Unfortunately, her team suffered a significant defeat, losing by 27 points with a final score of 97-70. Kneepkens displayed an impressive performance during the game against Golden State, contributing 6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist. Despite her efforts, her team was unable to secure a win. Throughout this season, Kneepkens has been averaging 3.9 points per game and 1.9 rebounds per game.
#9. Lauren Betts, a 6'7'' center who graduated from UCLA in 2026 and received the All-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award that same year, currently showcases her talents as a professional player in the WNBA. In a recent Women's National Basketball Association game, Betts teamed up with fellow player Angela Dugalic, where they both competed against the Seattle Storm. Despite Betts' efforts, she was unable to help her team, the Washington Mystics, secure a victory, as they were defeated 97-85. Even though Betts only played for 13 minutes, she managed to contribute 6 points and 3 rebounds, displaying an impressive performance on the court. Throughout this season, Betts has been averaging 7.0 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game, showcasing her skills and determination as a champion player in the league.
#10. Nigerian champion Michaela Onyenwere, a 6'0'' forward who is 26 years old and an alumna of the Bruins class of 2021, currently plays professionally in the WNBA. She was awarded the WNBA Rookie of the Year in the same year she graduated. Onyenwere is a teammate of the previously mentioned Angela Dugalic and recently competed in the latest Women's National Basketball Association game where she faced off against finalist Lauren Betts, who was on the opposing team. Despite her best efforts, Onyenwere was unable to lead the Washington Mystics to victory against the Seattle Storm, scoring 6 points in 17 minutes during her first game of the season. Although she displayed her skills as a champion by scoring those 6 points against Seattle, her team ultimately suffered a 97-85 defeat in the Women's National Basketball Association game. It is interesting to note that Onyenwere holds dual American and Nigerian citizenship, allowing her to potentially play for Nigeria as a domestic player.
Other former University of California at Los Angeles players, who play in pro basketball:
Japreece Dean (5'6''-G-1996, played in 2017-20) plays for Kibirkstis in Lithuanian Moteru Lyga
Gina Conti (5'10''-G-1999, played in 2021-23) plays for San Giovanni in Italian Serie A1
Charisma Osborne (5'9''-G-2001, played in 2019-24) plays for PolskaStrefaInwestycji Enea Gorzow Wielkopolski in Polish OBLK
Emily Bessoir (6'4''-F-2001, played in 2020-24) plays for Gernika in Spanish LF Endesa
Lina Sontag (6'3''-F-2003, played in 2022-24) plays for GiroLive Panthers Osnabrueck SC in German DBBL
Chinyere Ibekwe (6'1''-F/C-1987, played in 2005-09) plays for Oda Haneda Vickies in Japanese WJBL
Natalie Chou (6'1''-G-1997, played in 2018-18) plays for Essex Rebels in British WSLB
Chantel Horvat (6'0''-G-1998, played in 2018-22) plays for Sydney Comets in Australian NBL One
Kiki Rice (5'11''-G-2004, played in 2022-26) plays for Toronto Tempo in the WNBA
Iimar'I Thomas (5'10''-G/F-2000, played in 2021-22) plays for El Calor in Mexican LNBPF
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of University of California at Los Angeles basketball alumni.
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Ex-Players
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